The Religions Book

139 ideas, rules, and observances, which is equally harmful. In this way, Buddhism takes a radically different view from the maj ...

140 The Noble Eightfold Path The path to the cessation of suffering is set out as a path of eight steps. However, these need not ...

141 part of the path). The fifth step also supports an ethical approach, suggesting that we must pursue a “right livelihood.” Th ...

142 The Noble Eightfold Path offers a program of self-development. However, Buddhism does not have a set of commands or doctrine ...

143 beings constantly doing battle), hungry ghosts, and hell (the lowest of states). The implication is that people can move fro ...

144 See also: Wisdom lies with the superior man 72–77 ■ Buddhas and bodhisattvas 152–57 ■ Man as a manifestation of God 188 I n ...

145 See also: The four stages of life 106–109 ■ The enlightenment of Buddha 130–35 ■ Writing the Oral Law 182–83 ■ Serving God o ...

146 B uddhism arose out of Hinduism, a faith that had always been ambivalent about killing. On the one hand, Hinduism promoted t ...

147 See also: Living in harmony 38 ■ Self-denial leads to spiritual liberation 68–71 ■ Selfless action 110–11 ■ Hinduism in the ...

148 T he idea that a human being comprises a physical body and a nonphysical self, or soul, is deeply ingrained in almost all re ...

149 See also: Preparing for the afterlife 58–59 ■ The ultimate reality 102–105 ■ Seeing with pure consciousness 116–21 ■ The enl ...

150 THE SELF AS CONSTANTLY CHANGING Like the chariot, “Nagasena” refers to a set of elements that exist in a state of mutual dep ...

151 Which of these parts is the chariot? Nagasena would answer that none of them are. Likewise, whatever constitutes “me” cannot ...

ENLIGHTENMENT HAS MANY FACES BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS ...

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154 T he teachings that Buddha encapsulated in his Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path (pp.136–43) were straightforward a ...

155 This thangka, or silk wall hanging, depicts Tara, who vowed to become a female bodhisattva to show that the difference betwe ...

156 Known to Tibetans as Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara takes on a female form as Kuan Yin in China, and Kannon in Japan. Avalokites ...

157 There are three types of bodhisattva, who approach their task of helping others reach enlightenment in different ways. of in ...

158 ACT OUT YOUR BELIEFS THE PERFORMANCE OF RITUAL AND REPETITION I n most forms of Buddhism the rituals are simple (perhaps jus ...